There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!
Romans 5:3-5 (The Message)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James 1:2-4 (The Message)
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, I spent a lot of time talking to the Lord about my job situation. I felt Him telling me that I hadn't done everything there He wants me to, so I renewed my commitment and dug in with a new level of resolve and peace. As I moved in that direction, He gave me some new ideas and new approaches that would get things moving in the direction he wants and would ultimately glorify Him. I could hardly wait to get started.
Then one of my senior managers fell at home and broke her neck (a full, albeit quite slow, recovery is anticipated with no loss of feeling in any extremities--Praise God!). Then two more of my senior staff had to travel to Africa for three-week blocks. Then we had to send two of my team for an emergency audit in Haiti. Then other trips were taken by various staff members. Then we fought ice and snow in the Washington, DC area. Then the dog ate my homework (not really, just making sure you were still paying attention).
So what was that about troubles and pressure requiring us to be patient and showing the true colors of our faith? Yeah, I can relate and I bet you can too.
It is words like the scripture above and others that helped me not despair, get angry, and lose the resolve and peace that the Lord gave me only a few weeks ago. That doesn't mean I haven't been stressed or felt worn down by the extra tasks that fell onto my plate since we were so shorthanded; trust me, I felt it. What it does mean, though, it that I haven't given in to it, nor do I plan to!
If this trying sequence of events had occurred before I had reached that understanding with the Lord, the result might have been quite different. That's not the way it happened, however, and I don't think it's a coincidence. The Romans passage really spoke to me after Brenda pointed it out to me because I do feel these challenges, even though draining my physical energy, have continued to point me toward the Lord. What does He have in mind next? One thing I've already seen is that several members of my team, largely on their own initiative, have stepped up to take on more responsibility, putting their interests as secondary to what the team needs. As someone trying to fill a leadership role and replicate new leaders, this was particularly gratifying to me and may not have happened if the need hadn't been so severe.
Wait a minute, am I saying that good things are happening because of trials and troubles? I sure am, but that's not an original thought. That's what our Lord promised us. He teaches us that problems are not something to simply be endured, they are often teaching tools, events and circumstances that stretch us out and move us into levels we didn't think we could reach.
I think moving through trials, especially ones that involve groups, requires one key element--trust.
o Trust in others that they at least some of them will step up and share the burden so you don't have to carry it all yourself. God uses other people to accomplish His will, and sometimes those He uses aren't even believers.
o Trust in yourself, your instincts, your skills that they will be sufficient because the Lord would not put you in a situation where you would fail. Any shortcoming that become apparent can be learned from and make you better in the long run.
o Most importantly, trust in God Himself. Even while chaos may seeming to be reigning and the situation may seem hopeless, God reigns, and Jesus taught us all we ever need to learn about hope by rising from the grave.
I had no way of seeing my recent work situation coming, and I sure wouldn't have asked for it, but I can see where me and my team are already better off for it, and we're just scratching the surface. What we're learning about ourselves and our jobs is getting us ready for the next challenges ahead. I'll praise Jesus now, and I'll praise Him then.
Thanks to Him, I don't worry about having to control everything--He's got that covered. He's the boss, and I just have to seek and then follow directions.
I'm glad He left behind such a good reference manual to refer to--I've found it to be quite useful, especially in times like these.
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